That didn’t stop 1st Shepperton (St Nicholas) Beavers, who had a go at pioneering in miniature.

Spelthorne District SASU helped them out with an evening learning pioneering techniques using bamboo canes and rubber bands.

The basic principle of building up weight-supporting structures based on triangles was explained and demonstrated, and after a little instruction, and more than a little adult supervision (canes and rubber bands are very tempting to six-to-eight-year-olds!) they quickly learned the techniques of strapping together lengths of wood to make very lightweight structures able to support many times their own weight. There were cheers when Keith Brewer managed to balance four house bricks on a structure comprising just nine lengths of cane.

Working in three groups, the session ended with the structures being linked together between tables with three lengths of string to show how simply a very effective bridge can be made to cross a ravine.

Beaver leader Heather Morris had never heard her Beavers so quiet nor seen them concentrating so hard, and we’re pleased to report all canes and rubber bands are accounted for — and no Beaver was harmed in the process!